We define billiards in the context of sub-Finsler Geometry. We provide symplectic and variational (or rather, control theoretical) descriptions of the problem and show that they coincide. We then discuss several phenomena in this setting, including the failure of the reflection law to be well-defined at singular points of the boundary distribution, the appearance of gliding and creeping orbits, and the behavior of reflections at wavefronts. We then study some concrete tables in 3-dimensional euclidean space endowed with the standard contact structure. These can be interpreted as planar magnetic billiards, of varying magnetic strength, for which the magnetic strength may change under reflection. For each table we provide various results regarding periodic trajectories, gliding orbits, and creeping orbits.
We interpret magnetic billiards as Finsler ones and describe an analog of the string construction for magnetic billiards. Finsler billiards for which the law "angle of incidence equals angle of reflection" are described. We characterize the Finsler metrics in the plane whose geodesics are circles of a fixed radius. This is a magnetic analog of Hilbert's fourth problem asking to describe the Finsler metrics whose geodesics are straight lines.
We provide lower bounds on the number of periodic Finsler billiard trajectories inside a quadratically convex smooth closed hypersurface $M$ in a $d$-dimensional Finsler space with possibly irreversible Finsler metric. An example of such a system is a billiard in a sufficiently weak magnetic field. The $r$-periodic Finsler billiard trajectories correspond to $r$-gons inscribed in $M$ and having extremal Finsler length. The cyclic group ${\mathbb Z}_r$ acts on these extremal polygons, and one counts the ${\mathbb Z}_r$-orbits. Using Morse and Lusternik-Schnirelmann theories, we prove that if $r…
We prove that the systolic ratio of a sphere of revolution $S$ does not exceed $π$ and equals $π$ if and only if $S$ is Zoll. More generally, we consider the rotationally symmetric Finsler metrics on a sphere of revolution which are defined by shifting the tangent unit circles by a Killing vector field. We prove that in this class of metrics the systolic ratio does not exceed $π$ and equals $π$ if and only if the metric is Riemannian and Zoll.
Following a recent paper by Baryshnikov and Zharnitskii, we consider outer billiards in the plane possessing invariant curves consisting of periodic orbits. We prove the existence and abundance of such tables using tools from sub-Riemannian geometry. We also prove that the set of 3-periodic outer billiard orbits has zero measure.
Many classical facts in Riemannian geometry have their pseudo-Riemannian analogs. For instance, the spaces of space-like and time-like geodesics on a pseudo-Riemannian manifold have natural symplectic structures (just like in the Riemannian case), while the space of light-like geodesics has a natural contact structure. We discuss the geometry of these structures in detail, as well as introduce and study pseudo-Euclidean billiards. In particular, we prove pseudo-Euclidean analogs of the Jacobi-Chasles theorems and show the integrability of the billiard in the ellipsoid and the geodesic flow on …
In this paper we study warped product Finsler metrics and show that the notion of isotropic $E$-curvature and isotropic $S$-curvature are equivalent for this class of metrics.
In this paper, we consider doubly warped product (DWP) Finsler manifolds with some non-Riemannian curvature properties. First, we study Berwald and isotropic mean Berwald DWP-Finsler manifolds. Then we prove that every proper Douglas DWP-Finsler manifold is Riemannian. We show that a proper DWP-manifold is Landsbergian if and only it is Berwaldian. In continue, we prove that every relatively isotropic Landsberg DWP-manifold is a Landsberg manifold. We show that a relatively isotropic mean Landsberg warped product manifold is a weakly Landsberg manifold. Finally, we show that there is no any lo…
The aim of this paper is to show that holonomy properties of Finsler manifolds can be very different from those of Riemannian manifolds. We prove that the holonomy group of a positive definite non-Riemannian Finsler manifold of non-zero constant curvature with dimension >2 cannot be a compact Lie group. Hence this holonomy group does not occur as the holonomy group of any Riemannian manifold. In addition, we provide an example of left invariant Finsler metric on the Heisenberg group, so that its holonomy group is not a (finite dimensional) Lie group. These results give a positive answer to the…
A method to generalize results from Riemannian Geometry to Finsler geometry is presented. We use the method to generalize several results that involve only metric conditions. Between them we show that the topology induced by the Finsler structure is equivalent to the manifold topology, we provide a new proof of the Hopf-Rinow theorem in Finsler geometry and we prove the existence of the center of mass of a convex body when the non-symmetric distance function comes from a non-reversible Finsler function.
In this paper, we use a Killing form on a Riemannian manifold to construct a class of Finsler metrics. We find equations that characterize Einstein metrics among this class. In particular, we construct a family of Einstein metrics on $S^3$ with ${\rm Ric} = 2 F^2$, ${\rm Ric}=0$ and ${\rm Ric}=- 2 F^2$, respectively. This family of metrics provide an important class of Finsler metrics in dimension three, whose Ricci curvature is a constant, but the flag curvature is not.
The flag curvature is a natural extension of the sectional curvature in Riemannian geometry, and the S-curvature is a non-Riemannian quantity which vanishes for Riemannian metrics. There are (incomplete) non-Riemannian Finsler metrics on an open subset in R^n with negative flag curvature and constant S-curvature. In this paper, we are going to show a global rigidity theorem that every Finsler metric with negative flag curvature and constant S-curvature must be Riemannian if the manifold is compact. We also study the nonpositive flag curvature case.
Given a closed hyperbolic Riemannian surface, the aim of the present paper is to describe an explicit construction of smooth deformations of the hyperbolic metric into Finsler metrics that are not Riemannian and whose properties are such that the classical Riemannian results about entropy rigidity, marked length spectrum rigidity and boundary rigidity all fail to extend to the Finsler category.
A detailed study of the notions of convexity for a hypersurface in a Finsler manifold is carried out. In particular, the infinitesimal and local notions of convexity are shown to be equivalent. Our approach differs from Bishop's one in his classical result (Bishop, Indiana Univ Math J 24:169-172, 1974) for the Riemannian case. Ours not only can be extended to the Finsler setting but it also reduces the typical requirements of differentiability for the metric and it yields consequences on the multiplicity of connecting geodesics in the convex domain defined by the hypersurface.
We show that the volume of a simple Riemannian metric on $D^n$ is locally monotone with respect to its boundary distance function. Namely if $g$ is a simple metric on $D^n$ and $g'$ is sufficiently close to $g$ and induces boundary distances greater or equal to those of $g$, then $vol(D^n,g')\ge vol(D^n,g)$. Furthermore, the same holds for Finsler metrics and the Holmes--Thompson definition of volume. As an application, we give a new proof of the injectivity of the geodesic ray transform for a simple Finsler metric.
In the present paper, we introduce and investigate the notion of a semi concurrent vector field on a Finsler manifold. We show that some special Finsler manifolds admitting such vector fields turn out to be Riemannian. We prove that Tachibana's characterization of Finsler manifolds admitting a concurrent vector field leads to Riemannain metrics. We give an answer to the question raised in \cite{DWF}: "Is any n-dimensional Finsler manifold $(M,F)$, admitting a non-constant smooth function $f$ on $M$ such that $\frac{\partial f}{\partial x^i}\frac{\partial g^{ij}}{\partial y^k}=0$, a Riemannian …
The flag curvature of a Finsler metric is called a Riemannian quantity because it is an extension of sectional curvature in Riemannian geometry. In Finsler geometry, there are several non-Riemannian quantities such as the (mean) Cartan torsion, the (mean) Landsberg curvature and the S-curvature, which all vanish for Riemannian metrics. It is important to understand the geometric meanings of these quantities. In this paper, we study Finsler metrics of scalar curvature (i.e., the flag curvature is a scalar function on the slit tangent bundle) and partially determine the flag curvature when certa…
Combining the sharp isoperimetric inequality established by Z. Balogh and A. Kristály [Math. Ann., in press, doi:10.1007/s00208-022-02380-1] with an anisotropic symmetrization argument, we establish sharp Morrey-Sobolev inequalities on $n$-dimensional Finsler manifolds having nonnegative $n$-Ricci curvature. A byproduct of this method is a Hardy-Sobolev-type inequality in the same geometric setting. As applications, by using variational arguments, we guarantee the existence/multiplicity of solutions for certain eigenvalue problems and elliptic PDEs involving the Finsler-Laplace operator. Our r…
The notion of quasi-Einstein metric in physics is equivalent to the notion of Ricci soliton in Riemannian spaces. Quasi-Einstein metrics serve also as solution to the Ricci flow equation. Here, the Riemannian metric is replaced by a Hessian matrix derived from a Finsler structure and a quasi-Einstein Finsler metric is defined. In compact case, it is proved that the quasi-Einstein metrics are solution to the Finslerian Ricci flow and conversely, certain form of solutions to the Finslerian Ricci flow are quasi-Einstein Finsler metrics.
The notions of bienergy of a smooth mapping and of biharmonic map between Riemannian manifolds are extended to the case when the domain is Finslerian. We determine the first and the second variation of the bienergy functional, the equations of Finsler-to-Riemann biharmonic maps and some specific examples. Two notable results in Riemannian geometry concerning the inexistence of nonharmonic biharmonic maps are extended without difficulty in our case.
We show that if a Finsler space is conformally automorphic to a Riemannian space and the automorphism is positively homogeneous with respect to tangent vectors, then the indicatrix of the Finsler space is a space of constant curvature. In this case, the Finslerian two-vector angle can explicitly be found, which gives rise to simple and explicit representation for the connection preserving the angle in the indicatrix-homogeneous case. The connection is metrical and the Finsler space is obtainable from the Riemannian space by means of the parallel deformation. Since also the transitivity of cova…
The paper aims to initiate a systematic study of conformal mappings between Finsler spacetimes and, more generally, between pseudo-Finsler spaces. This is done by extending several results in pseudo-Riemannian geometry which are necessary for field-theoretical applications and by proposing a technique which reduces a series of problems involving pseudo-Finslerian conformal vector fields to their pseudo-Riemannian counterparts. Also, we point out, by constructing classes of examples, that conformal groups of flat (locally Minkowskian) pseudo-Finsler spaces can be much richer than both flat Fins…
We determine all Finsler metrics of Randers type for which the Riemannian part is a scalar multiple of the Euclidean metric, on an open subset of the Euclidean plane, whose geodesics are circles. We show that the Riemannian part must be of constant Gaussian curvature, and that for every such Riemannian metric there is a class of Randers metrics satisfying the condition, determined up to the addition of a total derivative, depending on a single parameter. As one of several applications we exhibit a Finsler metric whose geodesics are the oriented horocycles in the Poincare disk, in each of the t…
On the product of two Finsler manifolds M1 M2, we consider the twisted metric F which is construct by using Finsler metrics F1 and F2 on the manifolds M1 and M2, respectively. We introduce horizontal and vertical distributions on twisted product Finsler manifold and study Creducible and semi-C-reducible properties of this manifold. Then we obtain the Riemannian curvature and some of non-Riemannian curvatures of the twisted product Finsler manifold such as Berwald curvature, mean Berwald curvature and we find the relations between these objects and their corresponding objects on M1 and M2. Fina…
The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of curvature functional in Finsler geometry and use its information to introduce the gradient flow on Finsler manifolds. For this purpose, we first prove that the space of Finslerian metrics is a Riemannian manifold. Then it is given a decomposition for the tangent space of this Riemannian manifold by means of Riemannian metric and the Berger-Ebin theorem. Next, Finslerian functional is introduced and show that Akbar-Zadeh curvature functional is the example of Finslerian functional. After that, the critical points of Akbar-Zadeh fun…
Using the definition of entropy of a family of increasing distances on a compact metric set given in [10] we introduce a notion of Finsler entropy for smooth distributions and Stefan-Sussmann foliations. This concept generalizes most of classical topological entropy on a compact Riemannian manifold : the entropy of a flow ([9]), of a regular foliation ([11]), of a regular distribution ([5]) and of a geometrical structure ([22]). The essential results of this paper is the nullity of the Finsler entropy for a controllable distribution and for a singular Riemannian foliation.
Using the definition of a Finsler--Laplacian given by the first author, we show that two bi-Lipschitz Finsler metrics have a controlled spectrum. We deduce from that several generalizations of Riemannian results. In particular, we show that the spectrum on Finsler surfaces is controlled above by a constant depending on the topology of the surface and on the quasireversibility constant of the metric. In contrast to Riemannian geometry, we then give examples of highly non-reversible metrics on surfaces with arbitrarily large first eigenvalue.
In the present paper, we find out necessary and sufficient conditions for a Finsler surface $(M,F)$ to be Landsbregian in terms of the Berwald curvature $2$-forms. We study Finsler surfaces which satisfy some flag curvature $K$ conditions, viz., $V(K)=0,\,\,V(K)= -\mathcal{I}/F^2$ and $V(K)=-\mathcal{I}\,K,$ where $\mathcal{I}$ is the Cartan scalar. In order to do so, we investigate some geometric objects associated with the global Berwald distribution $\mathcal{D}:= \operatorname{span}\{S, H, V:=JH\}$ of a $2$-dimensional Finsler metrizable nonflat spray $S$. We obtain some classifications of…
A smooth curve on a homogeneous manifold $G/H$ is called a Riemannian equigeo-desic if it is a homogeneous geodesic for any $G$-invariant Riemannian metric. The homogeneous manifold $G/H$ is called Riemannian equigeodesic, if for any $x\in G/H$ and any nonzero $y\in T_x(G/H)$, there exists a Riemannian equigeodesic $c(t)$ with $c(0)=x$ and $\dot{c}(0)=y$. These two notions can be naturally transferred to the Finsler setting, which provides the definitions for Finsler equigeodesic and Finsler equigeodesic space. We prove two classification theorems for Riemannian equigeodesic spaces and Finsler…
Given a Finsler manifold $(M,F)$, it is proved that the first eigenvalue of the Finslerian $p$-Laplacian is bounded above by a constant depending on $\ p$, the dimension of $M$, the Busemann-Hausdorff volume and the reversibility constant of $(M,F)$. For a Randers manifold $(M,F:=\sqrt{g}+β)$, where $g$ is a Riemannian metric on $M$ and $β$ an appropriate $1$-form on $M$, it is shown that the first eigenvalue $λ_{1,p}(M,F)$ of the Finslerian $p$-Laplacian defined by the Finsler metric $F$ is controled by the first eigenvalue $λ_{1,p}(M,g)$ of the Riemannian $p$-Laplacian defined on $(M,g)$. Fi…
Generalized Berwald manifolds are Finsler manifolds admitting linear connections such that the parallel transports preserve the Finslerian length of tangent vectors. By the fundamental result of the theory \cite{V5} such a linear connection must be metrical with respect to the averaged Riemannian metric given by integration of the Riemann-Finsler metric on the indicatrix hypersurfaces. Therefore the linear connection is uniquely determined by its torsion tensor. If the torsion is zero then we have a classical Berwald manifolds. Otherwise the torsion is a strange data we need to express in term…
In this paper, as an application of the inverse problem of calculus of variations, we investigate two compatibility conditions on the spherically symmetric Finsler metrics. By making use of these conditions, we focus our attention on the Landsberg spherically symmetric Finsler metrics. We classify all spherically symmetric manifolds of Landsberg or Berwald types. For the higher dimensions $n\geq 3$, we prove that: all Landsberg spherically symmetric manifolds are either Riemannian or their geodesic sprays have a specific formula; all regular Landsberg spherically symmetric metrics are Riemanni…
By a classical result of Darboux, a foliation of a Riemannian surface has the Graves property (also known as the strong evolution property) if and only if the foliation comes from a Liouville net. A similar result of Blaschke says that a pair of orthogonal foliations has the Ivory property if and only if they form a Liouville net. Let us say that a geodesically convex curve on a Riemannian surface has the Poritsky property if it can be parametrized in such a way that all of its string diffeomorphisms are shifts with respect to this parameter. In 1950, Poritsky has shown that the only closed pl…
We prove some rigidity results on geodesic orbit Finsler spaces with non-positive curvature. In particular, we show that a geodesic Finsler space with strictly negative flag curvature must be a non-compact Riemannian symmetric space of rank one.
We prove that sub-Riemannian manifolds are infinitesimally Hilbertian (i.e., the associated Sobolev space is Hilbert) when equipped with an arbitrary Radon measure. The result follows from an embedding of metric derivations into the space of square-integrable sections of the horizontal bundle, which we obtain on all weighted sub-Finsler manifolds. As an intermediate tool, of independent interest, we show that any sub-Finsler distance can be monotonically approximated from below by Finsler ones. All the results are obtained in the general setting of possibly rank-varying structures.
An $(α,β)$-manifold $(M,F)$ is a Finsler manifold with the Finsler metric $F$ being defined by a Riemannian metric $α$ and $1$-form $β$ on the manifold $M$. In this paper, we classify $n$-dimensional $(α,β)$-manifolds (non-Randers type) which are positively complete and locally projectively flat. We show that the non-trivial class is that $M$ is homeomorphic to the $n$-sphere $S^n$ and $(S^n,F)$ is projectively related to a standard spherical Riemannian manifold, and then we obtain some special geometric properties on the geodesics and scalar flag curvature of $F$ on $S^n$, especially when $F$…
In this paper, we study a class of Finsler metrics called general (α,β)-metrics, which are defined by a Riemannian metric and an 1-form. We construct some general (α,β)-metrics with constant Ricci curvature.
We show $C^{1,α}$-regularity for energy minimizing maps from a 2-dimensional Riemannian manifold into a Finsler space $(\R^n, F)$ with a Finsler structure $F(u,X)$.
We prove that in a Finsler manifold with vanishing $χ$-curvature (in particular with constant flag curvature) some non-Riemannian geometric structures are geodesically invariant and hence they induce a set of non-Riemannian first integrals. Two alternative expressions of these first integrals can be obtained either in terms of the mean Berwald curvature, or as functions of the mean Cartan torsion and the mean Landsberg curvature.
This work is an investigation of perimeter measures in the metric measure space given by the Heisenberg group with Haar measure and a Carnot-Carathéodory metric, which is in general a sub-Finsler metric. Included is a reduction of Minkowski content in any CC-metric to an integral formula in terms of Lebesgue surface area in $\mathbb{R}^3$. Using this result, I study two perimeter measures that arise from the study of Finsler normed planes, and provide evidence that Pansu's conjecture regarding the isoperimetric problem in the sub-Riemannian case appears to hold in the more general sub-Finsler …
We prove that a Finsler metric is nonpositively curved in the sense of Busemann if and only if it is affinely equivalent to a Riemannian metric of nonpositive sectional curvature. In other terms, such Finsler metrics are precisely Berwald metrics of nonpositive flag curvature. In particular in dimension 2 every such metric is Riemannian or locally isometric to that of a normed plane. In the course of the proof we obtain new characterizations of Berwald metrics in terms of the so-called linear parallel transport.
We use two non-Riemannian curvature tensors, the $χ$-curvature and the mean Berwald curvature to characterise a class of Finsler metrics admitting first integrals.
The main result in this paper is the generalisation of the fundamental equations of a Riemannian submersion presented in the 1966 article by Barrett O'Neill to the context of pseudo-Finsler submersions. In the meantime, we also explore some basic properties of the O'Neill fundamental tensors of the submersion and study Finsler submersions with totally geodesic fibers.
